Flax-pulling machine.



S. VESSOT.

FLAX PULLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTA, I9I2.

1,206,950. Patented 1m. 5,1916.

2 SHEETS--SHEET l.

Mfhessea [wenfor 144W gym 44%; %M Mam; 6% W s. VESSOT. FLAX PULLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.4, I9I2.

Patented, Dec. 5, I9I6.

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FLAX-PULLING MACHINE.

Application filed September 4, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL Vnssor, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the town of Joliette, Quebec,

Canada, have invented certain new and usei the same.

The invention consists essentially of the novel arrangement and construction of parts, whereby a series of shoes are ar ranged one alongside the other and opera tively connected to a common driving means and provided on the sides thereof with belts arranged on rollers having operative connection with means for positively adjusting the tension, running position and condition of said belts.

The objects of the invention are to devise a flax pulling machine of simple and durable construction which shall be of practical design, whereby the several parts will be kept in proper working condition to pull the flax from the ground in an efficient manner requiring a minimum amount of power.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the several parts in such manner that they may be readily removable or accessible for inspection or adjustment.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the running gear of a harvesting machine, showing the flax pulling shoes secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a mid-sectional view through a shoe, showing the manner of operatively connecting the same to the common driving means, Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a complete shoe with a half shoe arranged therebeside, and having the covers removed. Fig. i is a cross sectional view of a complete shoe on the line AB in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the belt tightener. Fig. 6 is an end view of the scraper mechanism carried at the rear end of each shoe. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of a section of a side bar of a shoe frame showing the belt tension means secured thereto. Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail view of one of the side rollers of the shoe.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 718,572.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the frame of the machine supported on the traction wheel 2 and the running wheel 3, said frame being substantially identical with the frame of binders as commonly used for harvesting grain, whereby the product harvested is deposited on a carrier, and afterward bound in sheaves by suitable mechanism, all of which is in common use, and need not be described in the present specification, the essential feature of which is the shoes 5, which replace the ordinary knives of this type of machine, and are operatively arranged as hereinafter described to pull the flax from the ground as the machine passes thereover.

6 is a gear casing supported along the frame of the machine at the front of the carrier at, and in the place customarily occu pied by the binder knives.

7 are sleeves extending upwardly from the casing 6 at intervals throughout the length thereof, and having the crosspieces 8 at their upper ends.

9 is a shaft extending longitudinally through the gear casing 6, and journaled in suitable bearings at the ends thereof, said shaft 9 being operatively connected by the chains 10 with the traction wheel 2 of the machine. v

11 are bevel gears fixedly mounted on the shaft 9 at intervals throughout the length thereof.

12 are shafts journaled in suitable bearings in the sleeves 7, and having bevel pinions 13 fixedly mounted on ends thereof and intermeshing bevel gears 11.

1 are coupler members fixedly secured at the upper ends of said shafts 12, the object of which will be made clear hereafter.

16 are brackets secured to the frame of the machine immediately under the gear casing (3, and extending outwardly to the obliquely turned ends 17. It may be here mentioned that the under half of the gear casing (3 is separable from the upper half and slidablv arranged on the brackets 16, whereby the lower half of said gear casing may be removed to readily examine the gears contained therein.

18 are the flax pulling shoes, comprising the pairs of parallel sidebars 19 joined by the cross-bars 20, said side-bars being spaced apart by the posts 22 to form a rectangular frame, the under bars at the forwith the the lower hollow posts, and securingsaid shoes to the forward end 17 of the brackets 16.

-25 arearms pivotally secured to the sidebar'sl9 of the shoe frames at 26, and extendingtoward each corner of said shoe frame, where they are turned inwardly toward the center of the shoe at 30.

27 are rollers mounted on-the shafts 28, said shafts being journaled in suitable bearings in the arms 25 at each corner of the shoe. The'rollers 2-7 each have a peripheral'groove 29 intermediate of the height thereof.

31 are spiralsprings inserted between the inwardly turned ends of each pair of arms 25, one arm of each palr having the adjustably arranged end-piece 32, whereby the tension of said spring may be altered by increasing the length of one arm.

33 are shafts extending through suitable bearings in the cross-pieces 8 in the center of-each of the shoe frames, which cross pieces are carried by the upper ends of the sleeves 7, said shafts 33 having the coupler members 34 secured to the lower end thereof,=a'nd coacting with the coupler members 14 secured to the shafts 12.

35 are drive rollers'each having the peripheral groove '36 intermediate of the height thereof, and fixedly mounted on the shafts 33 within the shoe frames.

In describing the several parts of one of the'center shoe frames, 37 is the inner rectangular frame of the slack tightener as particularly shown in Fig.5, said frame havingthe journal orifices 38 toward one end thereof, through which the shaft 33 extends,and the slots 39 toward the opposite end thereof.

4O is a rod projecting outwardly from one end of the frame 37.

'41 is the outer rectangular shaped slack tightener frame fitting over the frame 37 and having the slots 42 toward one end thereof, through which the shaft 33 extends and the journal orifices 43 toward the opposite end thereof.

44 is a threaded orifice through one end of the frame 41.

45 is a sleeve having the orifice 46 through which the rod 40 of the frame 37 extends, said sleeve being threaded on the outer periphery thereof, and screwed into the correspondingly threaded orifice 44 in the frame 41.

47 is a spiral spring encircling the rod 40 between the frame 37 and the inner end of the sleeve 45.

48 is atension roller having, the peripheral groove 50, and. mounted on the shaft 49, said shaft extending through the journal orifices 43 in the frame 41, and the slots 39 in the frame 37.

The spring 47 exerts a continuous spring pressure on the frame 41 and it"will beclear that since recesses 42 and 39 are provided. in the frames 41 andv37 respectively, the :said frames will move relatively to eaoh'other-so that the rollers 35 and 48 will intimately. engage the belts passing therebetween while the pinion wheels 51 and 52 will more intimately mesh. It will be clearly understood that by providing the slots 42 and 39 the rollers 35 and 48 may be slightly spacedaparttofacilitate positioning the belts therebetween while at the same time'by the use of the spring 47 an automatic adjustment of the pressure between the said belts is obtained.

51 is a spur gear fixedly mounted on the shaft 33 immediately above the'fracrne 41 in each of the center shoe frames.

52 is a spur pinion fixedly mountedon the top of the shaft 49, and intermeshing with the gear 51.

53 is a lug extension from the'frame 41.

54 is a threaded pintle adjustably arranged in the correspondingly threaded orifice in the lug 53.

55 is a contractile spiral :spring secured between the pintle 54 and a sidebar ofthe shoe frame.

56 are endless belts, having the line of buttons 57 securely riveted at intervals throughout the length thereo-f'and intermediate of the width. Each of the belts,:56 extends around the corner rollers on oneside of the shoe, both belts passing between. the drive roller 35 and the tension roller 48 in an S-shaped course, the-spring 55 having a constant tendency to turn the roller 48, about the drive roller 35 in a direction to increase the tension on the belts. Atthe same time the spring 47 pressing the rollers 48 and 35 one toward the other will firmly press the belts as they pass therebetween. A certain and regular travel of the belts is thus assured, with the rotation of thedrive pulley 35 through the connection thereof with the drive shaft 9, the grooves in the several pulleys being shaped to receive the buttons on the belts, whereby the belts will be supported at a constant height on the pulleys, a most important feature in this class of machine, where'the shoes arev arranged as shown with the belts forming a moving side wall between which the flax is gripped and pulled from the ground as hereinafter more fully explained. To :in-

sure a firm contact between the opposing side belts throughout the entire length of the shoes, side rollers 62 are resiliently journaled between the side bars of the shoes as hereinafter explained.

59 are lateral slots in the side bars of the shoe frame at intervals throughout the length thereof.

60 are bearing blocks slidably arranged in the slots 59, and having upwardly extending ends 61.

62 are rollers having the peripheral grooves 63 and the central journal bushings 64.

162 are stud shafts having the headed upper ends 163 and the threaded end orifices 164 into which cap-screws 165 and 166 are inserted through suitable orifices in the bearing blocks 60, washers 167 being placed at the lower ends of the shafts 162 to obviate longitudinal movement of the said shafts.

168 areoil-holes drilled in the top capscrews 165 through which oil may be fed to the bottom of the upper threaded orifices, and from thence through lateral orifices 169 to the bearings between the stud shafts 162 and the bushings 64.

65 are pintles projecting inwardly from the up-turned ends 61 of the bearing blocks.

66 are arms extending inwardly from the side-bars of the shoe frames between the lat eral slots 59 in said side-bars.

67 are yoke-pieces having the orifices 68 toward the ends thereof, through which the pintles 65 extend, and having lateral slots 69 midway of the length thereof.

70 are cap-screws inserted through the slots 69, and into correspondingly threaded orifices in the arms 66.

71 are spiral springs encircling the pintles 65 between the upturned ends 61 of the bearing blocks 60 and the yokes 67, and exerting a continual outward spring move ment on the rollers 62. The opposing belts between adjoining shoes are thus resiliently held one against the other throughout their entire length.

The several rollers as hereinbefore described are so arranged in the frame of the shoe, that they are readily adjusted to the required tension, and the manner in which the tension roller is arranged alongside the drive roller readily admits of their adjustment for regulating the tension of the belts. That is to say, sufiicent space is left around the several parts in which the rollers are journaled, and by means of which they are adjusted, to allow of ready access to all parts of the shoe frame, and furthermore, the several parts may be made of sufficient size to be substantial and serviceable. This arrangement of rollers and parts, whereby they are made of sufiicient size to be thoroughly commercial and still have the frame of the shoe as narrow as possible, is an important feature, as a maximum number of shoes may thus be placed to cover a width or strip of ground.

72 are brackets extending rearwardly from the frames of the shoes 18.

74 are upright plates arranged in pairs toward each side of the brackets 72, and having the ends thereof notched at the corners, and fitting the slots 17 4 in the brackets 72, whereby said plates are held in oblique position.

75 are scraper blades having the pins 17 5 projecting from the ends thereof, and slidably arranged in the slots 275 in the brackets 72 immediately alongside the plates 74, and having the lugs 76 extending from one side thereof.

77 are toggles pivotally connected one to the other at 78, and each pivotally connected to the lugs 76.

79 is a plunger rod pivotally connected to the toggles at 78, and extending through the bracket 80 at the rear end of the shoe frame, and the bracket 81 extending upwardly from the center cross-piece 20 of the shoe frame, said plunger rod being offset immediately behind the bracket 81 to limit the extent of travel therein.

82 is an expansible spiral spring encircling the plunger rod 79 between the bracket 80 and the collar 83 secured to said plunger rod, whereby said plunger rod is normally pressed inwardly, drawing the toggles therewith, and moving the scraper blades 7 5 inwardly until they contact with the belts as they pass around the rear corner pulleys 27.

8 1 is a cam fixedly mounted on the upper end of the shaft 33, and engaging in its rotation with said shaft with the inner end of the plunger rod 79, whereby said plunger rod is moved outwardly, thereby moving the scraper blades 75 along the vertical plates 74-. All scrapings which have been scraped from the belts by the scraper blades are thus cleaned from the blades as they pass the plates 7 1, after which the blades are again returned into contact with the belts to keep said belts scraped clean.

In the half-shoes used at each end of the series of shoes, one set of corner rollers and one set of side rollers are used, said corner and side rollers being identical with the corner and side rollers hereinbefore described. The tension roller however, as also of the next shoe.

scraper blade is provided with a side arm 89 extending alongside theshaft on which the rear corner roller is mounted, said shaft having the cam 90 mounted thereon, and en gaging the side arm 89 to reciprocate the plunger rod. It will be understood that the belt on the half-shoe is carried about the rollers by the friction of the belt immediately adjoining.

To remove one of the shoes at any time desired, a means has been provided for withdrawing the corner and side rollers on one side of each shoe slightly into the shoe frame, thereby releasing the pressure of the belt on that side against the belt of the adjoining shoe, as hereinafter described.

91 is a rack-bar slidably arranged along the inner side of one side bar of the shoe frame, and having the notches 92 formed therein at intervals throughout the length thereof corresponding with the position of the several bearing blocks 60 of the side rollers, and also the cam-shaped notches 93 on the extended ends of said bar, said notches 93 being in alinement with the journal bearings of the arms supporting the corner rollers.

94 are teeth formed in the rack-bar 91 toward one end thereof.

95 is a pinion rotatably mounted on the shoe frame, and intermeshing with the teeth 94 of the rack-bar, said pinion being adapted to receive a wrench or key, whereby the same may be rotated to move the rack-bar along the side-bar of the shoe frame, until the bearings of the several rollers are moved out of the notches to the higher points on therack-bar, thus withdrawlng the rollers into the shoe frame to release the pressure of the side belt from the adjoining side belt The shoe may now be readily removed by unfastening the bolts 23 and 24 passing through the cross pieces 8 and the brackets 16 respectively.

The complete shoe as above described is fitted with a suitable cover 96 shaped identical with the upper side of the frame of the shoe, and caught under the point of said shoe at 97, and fastened at the rear thereof by the thumb-nut 98. The side-bars of the shoes are provided with apron straps 99 riveted therealong, and projecting down exactly even with the upper edge of the side rollers, and eflectually closing any opening between the top of the belt and the top sidebar of the shoe frames.

100 are feed wheels secured to the upper ends of the shafts 28 of the front corner rollers, and having the inclined teeth 101, which gather the flax stalks as the shoes pass therebetween, and feed the said stalks into the space between the shoes where they are caught by the opposing belts.

102 is a cover plate secured along the frame 1 of the machine immediately next the gear casing 6, said cover plate extending slightly over the edge of the carrier 4.

103 is an edge strip secured along the edge of the carrier at the extremities of the slats 104, said strip 103 being retained in position by the metal clips 204 secured to the ends of the slats 104, and projecting over the strip 103.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a flax puller, a shoe frame of substantially rectangular shape, a set of rollers journaled along each side of said shoe frame, a drive roller centrally arranged in said frame, a tension roller adjustably arranged alongside of the said drive roller, and a pair of belts each extending around one set of side rollers and between the drive roller and tension roller, the said belts contacting frictionally as they pass between the said drive and tension rollers.

2. In a fiax puller, a shoe frame of substantially rectangular shape, a set of rollers resiliently journaled along each side of the said shoe frame, a drive rollercentrally arranged on said frame, a tension roller resiliently arranged along side the said drive roller and in longitudinal alinement with the frame of said shoe, and a pair of belts each extending around one set of side rollers and between the said drive roller and said tension roller, the said belts contacting frictionally as they pass between the said drive and tension rollers.

3. In a flax puller, a shoe frame of substantially rectangular form, a plurality of rollers resiliently journaled along each side of said shoe frame, a drive roller centrally mounted in said shoe frame, a belt tightener frame axially adjustable about said drive roller, a tension roller journaled in said belt tightener frame, means for exerting an axial spring tension on said belt tightener frame and a pair of endless belts each extending around the rollers on a side of said frame and between said drive roller and said tension roller.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a drive roller, a drive shaft extending through said drive roller, an outer frame of rectangular shape having a pair of slots in the side-piecesthereof through which said drive shaft extends and a pair of journal orifices in the side-pieces thereof and a threaded orifice through one end thereof, a tension roller, a tension roller shaft extending through the journal orifices in said outer frame, an inner frame of rec tangular shape and having a pair of slots in the sides thereof through which the tension roller shaft extends and a pair of ournal orifices in the sides thereof through which said drive shaft extends and a rod extending from one end thereof through the orifice in the end-piece of said outer frame,

threaded in said threaded orifice and a spiral spring encircling said rod between the endpiece of said inner frame and the inner end of said sleeve.

5. In a flax puller, a shoe having a frame of substantially skeleton rectangular form and having laterally extending slots in the side-bars thereof, bearing blocks slidably arranged in said slots, shafts set in said bearing blocks, rollers mounted on said shafts, means for exerting a resilient outward pressure on said bearing blocks, a rackbar slidably arranged on the side-bar of said shoe frame and having cam-shaped notches into which said bearing blocks extend and teeth formed toward one end thereof and a pinion rotatably mounted in said shoe frame and meshing With the teeth of said rack-bar.

6. In a flax puller, a shoe frame of substantially rectangular form, arms pivotally arranged on the side bars of said shoe frame and extending toward each corner thereof, corner rollers pivotally mounted at the free end of said arms, a spiral spring adjustably arranged between the pairs of arms at each end of said shoe frame, a pair of endless belts each extending around the rollers on a side of said shoe frame, means for driving said belts and a pair of feed Wheels mounted above and rotatable with the rollers at the forward end of the shoe frame and having peripheral teeth inclined in their direction of rotation.

Signed at J oliette this 15 day of May 1912.

S. VESSOT. Witnesses:

WV. A. Rivns'r, A. DESROSIERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D C. 

